1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to releasably-mounted visual displays, and more particularly to a releasably-mounted display device having discrete electrical, mechanical, graphical, and/or combinational components integrated upon a flexible substrate.
2. Description of Prior Art
A number of releasably-mounted visual display devices are known in the prior art. These prior art devices are intended to be applied to a receiving surface, such as the window of a building or vehicle, and are used to display various visual images such as artwork, logos, stickers, and advertisements.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,609,938, Shields describe a one-way vision display device that can be used to display various types of images, such as advertisements, on a transparent medium, such as the window of a building or vehicle. The device is sequentially comprised of an opaque back panel, an image panel having a light-reflective image applied, and a transparent front panel. The panels are made of flexible sheet material and are bonded together by adhesive layers. A plurality of holes extend through the panels and adhesive layers to allow the device to appear substantially transparent when looking toward the opaque back panel, such that the image is only viewable when looking toward the transparent front panel. The device is mounted to the window of a building or vehicle so that the image is viewable through the window. A pressure-sensitive adhering means is disposed on the outward surface of the transparent front panel to accomplish the mounting. In at least one embodiment, the pressure-sensitive adhering means comprises static-cling properties so that the device can be releasably mounted to a window.
In U.S. Pat. No. 6,258,200 B1, Kassab describes a static-cling sticker assembly that is releasably mounted to a receiving surface. The assembly is comprised of an indicia-bearing sticker that is adhered to one side of a static-cling film intermediary. The opposite side of the static-cling intermediary is a applied to the receiving surface so as to display the indicia-bearing sticker. In at least one embodiment, the assembly is used to releasably mount an indicia-bearing vehicle sticker to the interior side of a vehicle windshield, so that the indicia is viewable from the exterior side of the windshield. In other embodiments, the assembly is used to releasably mount an indicia-bearing sticker to a household appliance or window.
In U.S. Pat. No. 6,672,748 B2, Baldwin describes a back-lighted display unit capable of displaying various types of artwork, logos, messages, or pictures. The unit is sequentially comprised of a main back housing, a circuit board, a light source panel, a cover glass to which an image is applied, a front trim bezel, and a mounting feature to releasably attach the unit to a transparent structure such as a window or display case. The mounting feature is affixed to the outside perimeter of the unit's trim bezel and is comprised of either multiple suction cups, small pieces or a continuous gasket of double-sided-adhesive foam, or an adhesive-backed hook and loop product. In at least one embodiment, the unit's light source is powered by an external power source through an attached cord. In other embodiments, the light source is powered by an internal solar cell or internal batteries. When the light source is powered, the image applied to the cover glass is illuminated and viewable through the transparent structure to which the unit is releasably mounted.
Numerous disadvantages and limitations become apparent when considering the above prior art. The releasably-mounted display devices disclosed by Shields and Kassab are basically limited to displaying significantly flat images such as printed artwork, graphics, stickers, and the like. Although Shields further teaches that the image-reflective layer in one embodiment of his device may comprise a screen layer for reflecting externally projected images, the type of images displayed by the Shields and Kassab devices are considered to be internally passive. For example, the images displayed by their devices are viewable only in the presence of an external light source, in that no provisions are made for internal lighting. Furthermore, no provisions are made to provide internally electrified or mechanized operation to facilitate active image display.
The housing used by the device disclosed by Baldwin has front, rear, and side edges which define an open area within the housing, in which a circuit board, light source panel, and image cover glass are contained. This type of construction has the disadvantage of being substantially rigid, making it difficult to mount the device to curved or irregular shaped surfaces. The rigid nature of the housing would also make it difficult to handle, store, and ship larger versions of the device, putting limitations on the size of the device. The making of the housing itself would also require special tooling, such as that used for injection molding, which can result in expensive start-up costs. These expensive tooling costs can be further multiplied if any modifications to the housing are required.
Although the Baldwin device contains an internal light source to actively display the image, the light source panel extends across substantially the entire area of the housing and image cover glass, leaving no additional area for other image-generating components. The light source panel is dedicated to illuminating the entire image affixed to the cover glass. The type of image being displayed by the device would therefore be limited to substantially flat images such as printed artwork, graphics, stickers, logos, and the like, as in the case of the Shields and Kassab devices. Furthermore, similar to the Shields device, the image displayed by the Baldwin device is only viewable when looking toward the front surface of the device.
Baldwin differentiates his device from the relatively crowded art of illuminated displays by making it mountable to the interior of a window or other glass surface. There are several disadvantages, however, associated with the mounting feature of the device. For example, in the case of using the disclosed adhesive-backed hook and loop product for the releasable mounting feature, either the hook portion or the loop portion of the product will undesirably remain affixed to the receiving surface (window) after removing the display device. In the case of using the disclosed suction cups for the releasable mounting feature, it's common for suction cups to lose their holding grip on a receiving surface, especially when the receiving surface hasn't been thoroughly cleaned prior to installation. Suction cups can also leave unsightly marks on the receiving surface after being removed. In either case, since the window mounting feature of the Baldwin device is restricted to being placed on the outside perimeter of the front trim bezel, a limited amount of surface area is provided for mounting the device to the receiving surface. This limited amount of surface area limits the holding power of the mounting feature, which correspondingly puts limitations on the size and weight of the display device. This size limitation becomes evident in Baldwin's acknowledgment that the device would be used in applications where “a miniature back-lighted display is desired”.